ZADAR · CROATIA
Where the sea plays music and the islands begin.
Sea Organ sunsets on the riva, day trips to Plitvice and Krka, and the densest archipelago in the Mediterranean. Kornati, Dugi Otok, Ugljan and the quiet bays between.
Only on this coast
Three reasons Zadar is the trip.
Boat days, walking tours and waterfall hikes exist in every Croatian destination. These three don’t. The singing pavement at dusk, the island maze offshore, the cascade two hours inland. Plan the rest of the week around them.
Only on the riva
Sea Organ & Sun Salutation
A wave-powered pipe organ built into the seafront and a 22-metre solar disc that lights up at dusk, sitting metres apart on the same stretch of waterfront. Both are unique in the world. Locals gather here every evening as the sun drops. The combination is the reason Hitchcock called Zadar's sunset the most beautiful on earth.
- 1 Zadar: Plitvice Lakes with Boat Ride and Zadar Old Town Tour
- 2 From Zadar: Plitvice Lakes with Boat Ride & Zadar Old town tour
- 3 Zadar: Guided Walking Tour
On the water
The Kornati Archipelago
The densest island archipelago in the Mediterranean. 140-plus islands packed into a small box of sea, most uninhabited, all bare white limestone and stunted scrub. George Bernard Shaw called it a labyrinth of stone. The day boats out of Zadar are the only practical way to see it.
- 1 Zadar: Kornati Boat Trip with Lunch and Swim Stops
- 2 From Zadar: Kornati National Park and Telascica Boat Trip
- 3 Zadar: Kornati and Telašćica Cruise with Ticket Included
Inland
Plitvice Lakes Cascade
A UNESCO chain of 16 turquoise lakes stepping down through a wooded gorge, connected by waterfalls and walkways cut directly across the cascades. Two hours inland from Zadar, easiest done as a day trip with the park ticket bundled in. The colour of the water is real, not filtered.
- 1 Zadar: Plitvice Lakes Guided Day Tour with Tickets
- 2 Zadar: Plitvice Lakes Full-Day Guided Tour with a Boat Ride
- 3 From Zadar: Plitvice Lakes Day Trip with Guide and Boat Tour
Beyond the walls
If you make one trip out of town, make it this one.
Day-trippers come to Zadar partly for the city, partly for what's a short drive away. The most-booked of those drives, every year.
The classics
Zadar's Most Popular Day Tours
Plitvice cascades, Kornati islands, sunset speedboats and the Old Town at golden hour. The day-by-day shape of a Zadar week.
By place
Pick where to spend the day.
Old Town for the singing pavement. Kornati for the islands you can't count. Plitvice for the green cascade. Krka for swimming under the falls. Dugi Otok for the cliffs at the edge. Ugljan for the quiet ferry hour.
By tour type
Or pick how you want to spend the day.
Speedboat if you want range. Sailing if you want the long sigh. Sunset cruise for the famous light. Kayaking, snorkelling, walking the Roman walls, wine tastings in the hills, and the rest.
From Zadar
Every Croatia must-see, a half-day away.
Zadar's geography is half the appeal. Two of Croatia’s national parks, the country’s densest archipelago and three of its longest ferry-only islands all sit within a morning’s travel. Here's the reach.
Range
The speedboat days.
Five islands in a morning, six bays in an afternoon. The Adriatic is dense and the speedboats are quick. Our three favourites for covering a lot of water without giving up the swim stops.
The Sunset Coast
The most beautiful sunset in the world.
Alfred Hitchcock, Zadar 1964
See sunset cruises →When the light goes pink
Zadar's signature hour.
Hitchcock’s line aside, the Sea Organ and Sun Salutation are at their best here too. Locals start showing up an hour before. Three sunset boats we’d book to be on the water as it happens.
Slower, lower
The sailing days.
Slower than a speedboat, but you ride lower and the islands feel bigger. The Dalmatian sailboat is the classical Adriatic shape. Three sailing routes we’d put on any first-time Croatian itinerary.
When you need a break from the boats
The walking & wine days.
Old Town walks past Roman ruins, Dalmatian cooking with a local family, vineyards in the limestone hills behind town. The half-days worth saving for when your shoulders need a break from the salt.
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